Nobody gets a kick out of paying for auto insurance, especially when they are aware that the price is too high. With consumers having so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be challenging to locate the most cost effective insurance company.
Finding the best rates is not rocket science. Basically, everyone who buys auto insurance should be able to find lower rates. Nevertheless, consumers do need to understand the methods companies use to determine prices and apply this information to your search.
Earn discounts on auto insurance
Companies that sell car insurance don’t always advertise all possible discounts very well, so the list below details a few of the more well known as well as the least known discounts that you can inquire about if you .
- Distant Student – Any of your kids who live away from home at college and won’t have access to an insured vehicle may be insured at a cheaper rate.
- Drivers Education – Cut your cost by having your teen driver enroll in driver’s education if it’s offered in school.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Defensive Driver Discounts – Successfully completing a driver safety class could cut 5% off your bill and easily recoup the cost of the course.
- Paperwork-free – A few companies may give you up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up on the web.
- Discounts for New Vehicles – Adding a new car to your policy can get you a discount compared to insuring an older model.
- Anti-theft System – Cars and trucks that have factory anti-theft systems are stolen with less frequency and earn discounts up to 10% off your .
- Accident Forgiveness Coverage – Not necessarily a discount, but companies like GEICO, Progressive, and Allstate permit an accident before they charge you more for coverage if you are claim-free for a certain period of time.
- Discount for Passive Restraints – Vehicles equipped with air bags could see savings of more than 20%.
- Home Ownership Discount – Being a homeowner can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home requires a higher level of personal finance.
A quick disclaimer, most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though you would think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you won’t be that lucky. But any discount will definitely reduce your premiums.
To choose insurance companies who offer online auto insurance quotes, click here.
To find cheaper rates, there are a couple of ways to compare prices from companies that offer auto insurance in your state. The recommended way to compare rates consists of obtaining rate quotes online. This is quite simple and can be completed by using one of the methods below.
- The most recommended method to get the best comparison quotes would be an industry-wide quote request form like this one (opens in new window). This method eliminates the need for repetitive form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. One form compares rates from several companies.
- A more time consuming way to analyze rates requires a visit to the website for every company you want to comare and repeat the quote process again and again. For instance, we’ll pretend you want to see prices from Auto-Owners, Esurance and Progressive. You would be required to visit each site and enter your policy data, which is not fast way to get rate quotes.
For a list of links to companies insuring cars in your area, click here.
- The old school way to comparison shop is actually driving to each insurance agency near you. The ability to quote online has made agencies unnecessary unless you have a complicated situation and need the professional abilities that only an agent can give. Some companies do allow you to find lower rates online but buy from a local insurance agent.
The method you choose is up to you, but ensure you are comparing nearly identical coverage data for each price quote. If the quotes have different deductibles you can’t possibly make a fair comparison for your Pontiac LeMans. Just a small difference in insurance coverages can make a big difference in price. Just remember that quoting more helps locate the best price. Not every company allows you to get online quotes, so you should also compare prices on coverage from those companies, too.
The Pontiac LeMans Insurance Price Equation
Many things are part of the calculation when quoting car insurance. Some are pretty understandable such as traffic violations, but others are not quite as obvious like your continuous coverage or your commute time. 
- Don’t abuse claims – If you file a lot of claims don’t be surprised to see either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Insurance companies give discounts to policyholders who are not frequent claim filers. Auto insurance is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Premiums increase with driving tickets – A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Having just one speeding ticket or other violation can boost insurance rates by twenty percent. Good drivers receive lower rates than bad drivers. Drivers who have gotten serious violations such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence may find they need to submit a SR-22 form with their state’s licensing department in order to legally drive a vehicle.
- Rate your vehicle for proper use – The higher the mileage driven in a year the more it will cost to insure it. A lot of companies calculate prices based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars that have low annual miles can get a lower rate than those used for commuting. Double check that your declarations sheet properly reflects the proper vehicle usage. Having an incorrect usage rating on your LeMans can cost quite a bit.
- Experienced drivers are lower risk – Youthful drivers tend to be more careless behind the wheel therefore auto insurance rates are much higher. Mature drivers have been proven to be more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
- Raise deductibles and save – Comp and collision deductibles are the amount of money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Insurance for physical damage to your car, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Some coverage claims are a windshield broken by a bird, collision with a deer, and having a roll-over accident. The higher the amount you’re willing to pay, the less money you will pay for auto insurance on LeMans coverage.
- Does insurance cost more for men? – The statistics show that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, don’t assume that females are better at driving than males. Males and females get in fender benders in similar percentages, but males have accidents that have higher claims. Men also statistically get more serious tickets like DUI and reckless driving. Young men ages 16 to 20 are most likely to cause an accident so it costs more to insure them.
There’s no such thing as the perfect auto insurance policy
When it comes to buying the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. For instance, these questions can help discover if your situation may require specific advice.
- How much liability coverage do I need in my state?
- Am I covered when renting a car or should I buy coverage from the car rental agency?
- Am I covered when pulling a rental trailer?
- Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
- Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
- Do I need PIP coverage since I have good health insurance?
- Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
- Is there coverage for injuries to my pets?
If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Shop online but buy locally
Many people just prefer to buy from a local agent and that is recommended in a lot of cases The biggest benefit of getting online price quotes is that you can obtain cheap rate quotes but also keep your business local.
Upon completion of this quick form, your coverage information is sent to insurance agents that give free quotes for your auto insurance coverage. It makes it easy because there is no need to leave your house since price quotes are sent to you directly. You can get cheaper auto insurance rates and work with a local agent. In the event you want to compare prices from one company in particular, just search and find their rate quote page and submit a quote form there.
Finding a good insurance company requires you to look at more than just a cheap quote. Any good agent should know the answers to these questions.
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Do they regularly work with personal auto policies?
- Who are their largest clients?
- Are they giving you every discount you deserve?
- Are claims handled at the agent’s location?
Pick the best car insurance agent for you
When finding a local insurance agency, it’s helpful to know the different agency structures and how they can quote your rates. agents are classified as either independent (non-captive) or captive.
Captive Insurance Agencies
Captive agents can only write with one company and some examples include State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. Captive agents cannot provide rate quotes from other companies so they really need to provide good service. They are very knowledgeable in insurance sales which aids in selling service over price.
Independent Auto Insurance Agents
These agents can sell policies from many different companies and that gives them the ability to insure through lots of different companies and help determine which has the cheapest rates. If your agent finds better pricing, they can switch companies in-house and you don’t have to do anything. If you need cheaper auto insurance rates, you definitely need to compare prices from at a minimum one independent agency to maximize your price options.
To view agents near you, please link to this list of auto insurance agencies in your state.
Buy online or local, you save
In this article, we covered many tips how you can shop for Pontiac LeMans insurance online. The key thing to remember is the more you , the better your chances of lowering your rates. Consumers could even find that the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. They may cover specific market segments cheaper compared to the large companies like State Farm and Allstate.
As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, it’s a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are too many instances where someone dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits to discover at claim time that it was a big error on their part. The ultimate goal is to purchase plenty of coverage at the lowest possible cost while still protecting your assets.
